The Mannequin

​Sophie’s father wants her to marry a ridiculous man—on the sole grounds that he’s from France. But not only does Sophie not love the gentleman, but he's on track to spend all her money and ruin them both! To get out of the marriage, Sophie has one option: to outwit her suitor and prove that he’d rather marry a mannequin than her. Written by French luminary Germaine de Staël, The Mannequin is an overlooked masterpiece, balancing issues of women's marital rights with outright silliness.

Madame de Staël wrote this play while exiled from France, an outspoken opponent to the tyranny of Napolean's regime. Her work as an activist, theorist, and writer had a lasting influence on European culture during the early 19th century, and yet we rarely see her work on stage. In the tradition of Lovers' Vows, Loveday Brooke, and Diana of Dobson's, We Happy Few is excited to bring work from another forgotten female playwright to the stage